Shortbread Cookies

Basic Shortbread Cookies

Makes 24 cookies

Baking Temperature: 325 degrees

Time: 18 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 1/8 cup flour

Cream butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Add vanilla. In a separate bowl, mix together sugar and flour. Slowly add to butter and cream cheese mixture. Mix together completely, place in a sealed container and chill for 1 - 2 hours, over night if possible.

Remove from refrigerator and roll out on a floured surface to 3/8-inch thickness. Use cookie cutters dipped in flour to cut out shapes. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 325 degrees for 18 minutes.

Remove from oven and immediately prick cookies decoratively with a fork.

Emily's Nana's Shortbread Cookies

Makes 64 cookies

Baking Temperature: 325 degrees

Time: 18 minutes

Ingredients: (courtesy of Emily Musgrave's Nana)

  • 1 pound butter, softened
  • 3/4 cups white sugar
  • 3 cups flour
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 cup Bird’s custard English powder

Cream butter and sugar together until smooth. In a separate bowl mix flour, salt, and Birds custard English powder together. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir. Roll out on a floured surface to 1/4 - 1/2 inch thickness and use floured cookie cutters to cut out shapes. Prick the surface of the cookie with a fork and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 325 degrees for 18 minutes.

Whipped Shortbread Cookies

Makes about 60 cookies

Baking Temperature: 350 degrees

Time: 12 to 15 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound unsalted butter
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • salt
  • 1/2 cup cornstarch
  • 3 cups flour
  • Decorating sprinkles

Cream together butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and a pinch of salt. Slowly add cornstarch and flour. Whip with an electric mixer until fluffy.

Place dough into a piping bag and pipe onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

To make colored wreaths, divide the dough into two parts. Color the larger part green and the smaller part red. With a large star tip point, pipe the green dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet in the shape of a wreath. With a small hole tip point, pipe the red dough onto the wreaths. Press in sprinkles to dough.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Let cool for 2 minutes on baking sheet before moving.